We ran a campaign with integrity, honesty, compassion and inclusiveness. I am proud of all our campaign team. We lived by the values we profess. We raised important issues of the power imbalances and income inequality in our society.
I learned many things during the campaign, too many to cover here. But one thing that I think is important to remember is that there are no simple solutions. There are divergent views on key issues in our communities and we need new processes that allow – and encourage- these different points of view to be heard.
In terms of our economy, I saw that new developments could work closely, in partnership, with local communities for our common benefit. On the other hand, I saw examples of the opposite where the development has created mistrust and at times, severe hardships. The difference seems to be the approach of the developer.
With the Ring of Fire developing, we now have an opportunity to ensure development that reduces harm and increases benefits for our local communities. Hopefully our governments will take the time to do it properly.
There are many challenges ahead of us and opportunities to build a better society. I look forward to working with you to achieve that goal.
Steve Mantis
NDP Candidate of Record
Thunder Bay Superior North